Sunrise
by currierbell
Summary: Eclipse, from Jacob's POV. I know it's not original. Maybe I can do something with it.
1. Ultimatum

I heard the horn honk outside the door. I blinked and realized I had been staring at the fluorescent digital numbers on the microwave for about fifteen minutes. Stupid Bella. Even when she wasn't here, she was. I went to the front and nearly broke the garage door switch (again), and Billy pulled up. I helped him out of the car and into the wheelchair. Then I noticed he was holding a crumpled piece of paper in his hand. "What's that?" I asked.

"A note," he replied. "From Bella. Well, actually from Charlie, but written by Bella."

I did a double take. A _note_? Were we in second grade? I didn't really my thoughts had transferred to my voice until Billy chuckled. "Sometimes, Jake, I wonder," he mused. "I'll carry a note back if you want."

Shrugging, I wheeled him into the house and pulled dinner out of the oven. I scarfed down enough for about five people, then I darted to my room and open the note.

_Jacob, _

_I'm really sorry about your pain. I know this must put you through so much, but can't you please understand? Be reasonable about this. I just want to talk to you._

_Bella _

For a few minutes I just sat there, staring at the beautiful scrawled signature. Then I sighed and picked up a pen. What was I going to say back?

_Bella,_

_I don't know why you're making Charlie carry notes to Billy like we're in second grade - if I wanted to talk to you I would answer the_

No, she wouldn't like that. That would just make it seem like I didn't ever want to see her again. Which I did. Just not while she was still dating that bloodsucker.

_You made the choice here, okay? You can't have it both ways when_

But I couldn't quite finish that sentence. When what? When she knew everything about vampire-werewolf hatred, which I knew she never would? When the stupid moronic leech was still "protecting" her? When I - when I - I couldn't spit that out. I couldn't even make myself think it. So I crossed it out and started over.

_What part of "mortal enemies" is too complicated for you _

No. I didn't really want to give her an ultimatum, didn't want to make her pick him or me. Because I knew how much she'd hate me, and I knew exactly who she'd pick. And I knew how much she'd hate herself, for not picking me. I looked down and there were shards of plastic on the floor, and ink all over my hands, the carpet, and a few blobs on the paper. Shoot. I'd pick it up later. I got a different pen and began anew.

_Look, I know I'm being a jerk, but there's just no way around_

Did I really want to say it? I smashed another pen. Time for pen number three.

_We can't be friends when you're spending all your time with a bunch of_

She didn't like it when I used curse words on her parasitic friends. And "vampires" seemed too tame a word.

_It just makes it worse when I think about you too much, so don't write anymore_

I didn't really want her not to write anymore. I wanted her to break up with her stupid vampire boyfriend and ditch the fortune-telling BFF, _then _write some more. But of course I couldn't say that. Like I said, no ultimatums. So once again I scribbled through it.

_Yeah, I miss you too. A lot. Doesn't change anything. Sorry._

_Jacob_

Finally, I was satisfied. That would work. I looked at the messy array of scribbles and every here and there a word. It was also speckled with ink dots. Oh well. She'd have to take it, ink dots and all. Maybe if I saw Charlie, I'd ask him to put in a good word for me. I exited my room, and saw Billy in a state of semi-consciousness on the couch. I placed the note on the table and peered at the TV. Football was on. I plopped down beside him on the sofa. "Get that note written?" he inquired casually. Ha. Right. Casually.

"Yup," I answered, mimicking his faux insouciance.

He took a deep breath, meaning he was about to say something important. Something serious. "Jacob, I know this is tough on you," he began. Oh great. "But maybe Bella is just a wasted hope. Maybe you should just..." He let the sentence trail off. Like me, he was afraid of how he might finish it. "I'm just saying that vampires don't let go of what they love so easily."

"You don't think I could take him?" I wasn't joking one bit.

"I don't think you would want to."

I sighed. "Dad, she's eighteen. You always tell me I'm too young to know what _I _really want. Isn't the same true for her? Couldn't she...one day...what if the leech left again?" The thought was so glorious, so wonderful. It was an intangible fantasy that I often went to sleep thinking about, and I often dreamed about.

"Charlie doesn't think that's going to happen again."

"Charlie doesn't know everything," I grumbled. "Bella _wants _to see me. She just can't," I insisted.

"Charlie hasn't grounded her from seeing you," Billy protested.

"Will you stop making this all about Charlie!" I exclaimed. "He doesn't know everything. He doesn't know about vampires. He doesn't know how unpredictable they are."

Billy fixed me with an impenetrable stare. "Jacob," he muttered. "If you're holding your breath waiting for Edward to leave again, you're going to suffocate."

I knew he meant that in more ways than one. "Okay, okay," I acquiesced. "So what do you want me to do?"

He shrugged and afforded me a half-smile with no happiness in it at all. "Just keep that in mind."

Unsure what he meant by that, I waved goodbye and went into the woods to phase. Sam and Quil were already there. As soon as I entered my wolf form, I could hear their thoughts.

_Any luck with Bella, Jake? _Sam thought to me kindly. I snarled involuntarily.

_What do you _think_? _I demanded. Immediately I backtracked, showing him that I didn't mean it. _I'm just upset, _I explained.

_Seth Clearwater phased for the first time,_ Quil informed us eagerly. I stared at him with my wolf eyes - sometimes puppy-like, sometimes wild.

Wild. Unpredictable. The same words I'd used to describe vampires to my dad. I shook my head. What was I doing, comparing myself to a vampire?

_You can't help it, Jacob, _Sam boomed in the resonating voice of the Alpha. Even when he wasn't using the Alpha's command, it echoed throughout my head, like it was imprisoned by my skull and trying to get out. _Don't worry about it. We need to focus on Seth Clearwater. _

I felt bad for doing it, but I couldn't stop thinking about Bella. I knew Edward would try to stop her. I knew he'd use the "dangerous" excuse, just like me. I wondered if Bella would even try to get away.

_Please, dude! _Quil complained. _I just ate! _

I shook my head, as if it were an Etch-A-Sketch and by one simple movement, I could wipe the slate clean. _Focus, _I told myself. _Focus on what matters. _

Oh, I was.

_Doesn't change anything. Sorry._


	2. Evasion

It was a couple more days before anything really exciting happened. Charlie promised he had put in a good word for me, but Bella stilled tried to evade me. I tried to shrug it off, to be cool about it, but I couldn't. I spent a lot of time in my wolf form. That way I could always talk to Sam or Embry or Jared. Or, when I felt like it, I could be alone. We were doing really basic stuff, the ABC's of the Quiluete tribe. It was a Saturday night, which kind of bothered me. Shouldn't I be doing something a Saturday night was worthy of? Normal humans were probably at a movie, or a dance, or a party. I was running patrol as an enormous dog, trying to protect my pack from vampires.

Suddenly Embry sniffed and was instantly repulsed. _Whoa, Jake, _he called mentally. Since Sam wasn't doing patrol, I was sort of the Alpha here. _I've definitely got something - and it's not the Cullens! _

I galloped over to him and immediately smelled it too - that sickly sweet odor that instinctively burned a werewolf's nose. It was a female, but it wasn't the leader's mate, the blonde, or the little one. _Sam! _I shouted with my thoughts, and mentally recounted the past few minutes. _Get over here, quickly! _I turned my keen eyes to Quil and Embry. _Follow that trail, and run as fast as you can. Catch up to her, but DO NOT cross the line, got it? If she goes to their turf, let them catch her. _I obeyed my own commands instantly, running until I was a blur. I ran until I couldn't feel any longer, but I had to stop with a rude awakening.

_Wait, guys! _I demanded.

Sam was right beside me, and thinking along the exact same lines. _She's crossed over to their side, _he groaned mentally. _All right, spread out along the treaty line. Embry, you go as far south as you can and Paul, you go as far north. I'll take middle. Jake, go between Paul and me, and Quil, go between Embry and me. _It was a good position. I nodded to show I approved, then manned my station. I could still smell that stench. It was like the fragrance when you open a packet of drink mix-ins; so sweet it sears right through your nostrils. I paced back and forth beside the line, just daring the bloodsucker to set one foot on our home front.

I could feel the stink grow as the entire coven joined us. Boy, wouldn't I love it if Edward stepped over the line. I'd tear him to shreds. I let the image fill my mind. Self-gratification is a good thing, until your Alpha snarls in your head, _Focus, Jacob._

_Right on, _I lied, knowing that he knew I wasn't. I cleared my mind of all thoughts of Bella and tried to locate the leech with my nose. No luck. I could smell vampire repugnance, but nothing distinct; they were too far away. They were getting closer, with rapid speed compared to a human. For us, though, it was just somewhere around average. I could sense Sam, straining to be able to make them out. Their scent filled the air as they approached. Suddenly I heard, _Go, Paul! _

I felt Paul's thoughts. _Gotta run - going north - run - run - _He was running too fast to think coherently. Then something changed. _I'm not going to make it - _I couldn't quite make out the odor's position relevant to Paul, but I could see everything from his perspective. He could smell the parasite clearly, and he was going to be just a few miles too far south. The Cullens were in on the chase too, and they were getting riskily close to the line. As we ran to help support him, the larger one stepped over the line. Paul went ADD immediately. He turned on him. Pity he missed. But apparently the blonde didn't agree.

_Sam, get Paul's flanks, _I advised, and he nodded. He went right behind him, while the blonde was swearing under her breath and was just about to attack. Then their leader put his hand on the blonde's shoulder and spoke softly. I could have heard, but I didn't give a crap. The leader was trying to speak to Sam, but I didn't listen. Then all of a sudden I felt really calm, like I was lying down and relaxing, even though just a minute ago I'd been hyper. I realized exactly what it was - the blonde male, doing that weird stuff with our minds.

"Please," their leader begged. "Victoria is our target. Let's focus."

Victoria. Like I really cared what her name was. I just wanted a leech I was permitted to kill. I saw Edward trying to hide a smile. Since she was on _our _territory now, we darted after her. I've often wondered what it would feel like to have an entire werewolf pack chase after you - you know, if you weren't a werewolf. It must be pretty terrifying.

Victoria ran right down the line for some number of miles, I don't know, I didn't exactly keep count. Right where the line gets kind of sketchy, she changed direction and headed for the Makah cliffs. We kept right after her, but it was no use.

_Dammit, _Sam swore. _She's in the water now. _

Downtrodden, we trudged back to the line to inform the Cullens about everything. Although Bella's bloodsucker probably had read all about it in our minds. Stupid powers. Stupid gifts. Stupid vampires.

As we approached, the leader nodded to Edward. "If you wish," he suggested, "we could go across the line and swim after her."

_Heck no! _Embry retorted.

_Cool it, Embry, _Sam directed. _No thanks. We'll get her later. Best to stick with the treaty._

As Edward translated, I began the run back to my house. It was going to be a long weekend.


End file.
